Barack and Michelle Obama and tons of big-name celebrities turned out Sunday to virtually salute the high school class of 2020. Though several speeches in YouTube’s „Dear Class…
Barack and Michelle Obama and tons of big-name celebrities turned out Sunday to virtually salute the high school class of 2020.
Though several speeches in YouTube’s „Dear Class of 2020“ livestream were filmed before Black Lives Matters protests broke out across the country following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, a handful of celebrities focused on praising young activists for their role in pushing for change.
Lizzo opened with a flute rendition of „Pomp and Circumstance,“ accompanied by the New York Philharmonic, as images on the green screen behind her displayed images from Black Lives Matter protests.
Alicia Keys praised the younger generation for „inspiring the world to see our collective humanity“ through protests, calling on everyone to „empathize with those who seem different on the surface.“
„Right now, it might feel like there’s not a lot to celebrate, and that’s OK,“ she said. „You’re not thinking about your time at school. You’re thinking about marching and protesting and making sure your voices are being heard.… You’re taking your heartbreak and your outrage and turning it into action.
„I see you. You’re unstoppable,“ she told graduates.
Here are the graduation special’s highlights:
The Obamas appeared together in a video from their home, celebrating a „huge day for all of you,“ as the former first lady put it.
The Obamas congratulated students on not just completing their academic journey, but doing so while figuring out how to support their teachers, friends and family through unprecedented circumstances. And above all, they advised graduates to make sure to properly celebrate their accomplishments, and to thank their parents for helping them succeed.
„Today is the culmination of a long journey,“ Barack said. „Just as you were rounding the final turn, the world threw a pandemic your way.… That’s a lot to ask of anybody, but despite all that, here you are.“
Michelle Obama joined the livestream again later to address protests in the U. S., calling attention to the country’s long history of racism and calling on graduates to encourage their peers to vote and learn more about their local elections.
„What’s happening right now is the direct result of decades of unaddressed prejudice and inequality,“ she said. „For too many people in this country, no matter how hard they work, there are structural barriers for them that just make the road longer and rockier.… If you can’t even approach the police without fearing for your life, well, then how do you even begin to chart your own course?“
She added later: „Not only can you do better than those who came before you, but you will.
